Subsurface discrete interval system with verifiable interval isolation

ABSTRACT

A subsurface discrete interval system for water and soil vapor, providing verifiable interval isolation, media evaluation and monitoring, field modifiability, extraction, and injection capabilities. The system comprises an outer structure ( 01 ) and inner core ( 02 ), each comprised of one or more seal sections ( 03 ) and one or more port sections ( 04 ). A user of the system can monitor, sample, and evaluate the characteristics of the media of interest at verifiable isolated discrete intervals. A user of the system can extract or inject fluid, vapor, or multiphase substances in the media of interest. During installation or anytime afterwards the user can modify or remove the system to meet the dynamic conditions and needs frequently encountered during subsurface investigation and/or remediation.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATE APPLICATIONS

Ser. No. 61/219,721

FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH

None.

SEQUENCE LISTING

None.

THEREFOR

This invention, provides a subsurface discrete interval system for waterand soil vapor, including verifiable interval isolation, mediaevaluation and monitoring, sample collection, field modifiability,extraction, and injection capabilities.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION AND PRIOR ART

Subsurface ground water and soil vapor sampling systems in the form ofcluster wells, multi-level wells or other devices have been commonlyknown and widely used, dating back more than 40 years. These systemsgenerally include an array of individual monitoring points, isolated tovarying degrees, in a single boring, in which piping or tubing isextended to the surface for sampling purposes. Typical systems of thistype are shown, for example, in the following United States of Americapatents:

U.S. Pat. No. 4,538,683 Chulick

U.S. Pat. No. 4,838,079 Harris

U.S. Pat. No. 5,375,478 Bemhardt

U.S. Pat. No. 5,922,975 Butler

U.S. Pat. No. 6,865,933 Einarson, et al.

Though such systems have achieved considerable popularity and commercialsuccess, there has been a continuing need for improvement and there areseveral deficiencies in the prior art, which include a lack of thefollowing; verifiable interval isolation, media evaluation, fieldmodifiability, and extraction/injection capabilities.

SUMMARY

The invention pertains to a subsurface discrete interval systeminclusive of zone isolation for purposes of aquifer testing, and/ormedia evaluation, and/or collection of discrete samples, and/orextraction of water and/or vapor (media), and/or injection of media, asa single phase or multi-phase stream.

Port and seal sections, each consisting of an outer structure and aninner core, are used to isolate intervals. Advantages of thisconfiguration allow for sealing of discrete intervals while allowingaccess to other intervals with increased flexibility. This increasedflexibility includes verifiable isolation of intervals throughinstallation and operation of transducers or other water levelmonitoring devices allowing for independent monitoring of operationaleffects and ambient conditions in individual discrete zones. As a resultof providing verifiably isolated intervals discrete aquifer propertiescan be evaluated. By utilizing an adaptable tubing and connectionsystem, in conjunction with the port and seal sections, liquids,non-aqueous phase liquids, and vapor can be extracted from or injectedinto discrete intervals. Additional advantage is realized duringinstallation or anytime afterwards as the user can modify or remove thesystem to meet the dynamic conditions and needs frequently encounteredduring subsurface investigation and/or remediation. This includes theability to change the number and location of port and/or seal sectionsduring implementation, reduce the number of port and/or seal sectionsanytime after initial implementation, retrofitting of the system afterimplementation with different equipment and/or instrumentation, orremoval of the invention entirely.

DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional plan view of the implemented invention.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional top view of the implemented invention.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary view of the port section.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary view of seal section.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary view of the inner core section.

REFERENCE NUMERALS

-   01 Outer structure-   02 Inner core-   03 Seal section-   04 Port section-   05 Natural, artificial, or pre-packed fill materials-   06 Sealed access point-   07 Packer cup-   08 Rigid inner core material-   09 Tubing-   10 Instrumentation

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The preferred embodiment of the invention, with reference to FIG. 1,comprises an outer structure 01 and inner core 02, each comprising oneor more seal sections 03 and one or more port sections 04, each portsection 04 providing an advantageous, verifiably discrete, and isolatedinterval through which a fluid, vapor, or multiphase substance can betransferred, and through which media characteristics can be evaluatedand monitored.

As depicted in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, the outer structure comprisesnaturally developed, artificial, and/or pre-packed materials 05 in theannular space between the boring wall and the material comprising theinner casing, which may or may not be present, of the outer structure.When the invention is implemented in crystalline or consolidatedmaterial, or when otherwise preferred, the outer structure may beexempted.

As depicted in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, the inner core 02 comprises a rigidmaterial with a plurality of sealed access points 06, and one or morepacker cups 07 each comprising an obtrusion, fixed in place, extendingfrom the rigid core material 08, consisting of rubber, or other formablematerial, reinforced with extruded or formed metal, or other tensionablematerial, to provide the sealing force.

As depicted in FIG. 3, an enlarged fragmentary view of a port section04, the outer structure 01 in the preferred embodiment, comprises apermeable material adjacent to the perforated material comprising theinner casing, which may or may not be present, of the outer structure 01in a port section 04. As depicted in FIG. 3, an enlarged fragmentaryview of a port section 04, the inner core 02 in the preferredembodiment, comprises a rigid material with one or more sealed accesspoints 06, and one or more packer cups 07 on both sides of the portsection 04, each comprising an obtrusion, fixed in place, extending fromthe rigid core material 08, consisting of rubber, or other formablematerial, reinforced with extruded or formed metal, or other tensionablematerial, to provide the sealing force. The sealed access points 06 inthe port section 04 comprise threaded, chemically sealed, or compressedgasket ports through the rigid core material 08 through which a fluid,vapor, or multiphase substance can be transferred, and through whichmedia characteristics can be evaluated. The sealed access points 06, inthe preferred embodiment, through which a fluid, vapor, or multiphasesubstance can be transferred, and through which media characteristicscan be evaluated, have an attached screen or perforated material for thepurposes of media filtration and/or extraction or injection. Inside theinner core 02 a means through which a fluid, vapor, or multiphasesubstance can be transferred, and through which media characteristicscan be evaluated, comprises one or more tubes 09 which run from the portsection 04 to the surface.

As depicted in FIG. 4, an enlarged fragmentary view of a seal section03, the outer structure 01 in the preferred embodiment, comprises anon-permeable material adjacent to the non-permeable material comprisingthe inner casing, which may or may not be present, of the outerstructure 01 in a seal section 03. As depicted in FIG. 4, an enlargedfragmentary view of a seal section 03, the inner core 02 in thepreferred embodiment, comprises a rigid material 08 with one or moresealed access points 06, and one or more packer cups 07 on both sides ofthe seal section, each comprising an obtrusion, fixed in place,extending from the rigid core material 08, consisting of rubber, orother formable material, reinforced with extruded or formed metal, orother tensionable material, to provide the sealing force. The sealedaccess points 06 in the seal section 03 comprise threaded, chemicallysealed, or compressed gasket ports through the rigid core material 08through which media characteristics can be evaluated and monitored, andinterval isolation can be verified. The sealed access points 06, in thepreferred embodiment have an attached screen or perforated material forthe purposes of media filtration. One or more tubes 09 which run fromthe seal section 03 to the surface within the inner core 02 comprise ameans through which media characteristics can be evaluated, and intervalisolation can be verified.

As depicted in FIG. 5, an enlarged fragmentary view of the inner core02, the tubing 09 from sealed access points 06 from either port sections04 or seal sections 03 extends to the surface or other terminationpoint, at which or in-line, it can be plugged or connected to pumps,transducers, dataloggers, water and/or vapor quality monitoringequipment, or other instrumentation 10.

IMPLEMENTATION AND OPERATION OF THE INVENTION

The preferred implementation and operation of the invention, withreference to FIG. 1, consists of the creation of an aperture and void inthe medium of interest, and insertion of inner core into the apertureand void when implemented in crystalline or consolidated material, orwhen implemented in unconsolidated, semi-consolidated materials, or whenotherwise preferred, insertion of the inner casing portion of the outerstructure 01 into the aperture and void, with naturally developed orartificial fill materials 05, placed in the annular space, or utilizingpre-packed materials. Insertion of the inner casing portion of outerstructure 01 is followed by insertion of the inner core 02 into saidinner casing portion of outer structure 01.

The invention is field modifiable, removable, and retrofittable,particularly through four primary means. The first means duringimplementation and operation is the ability to change the number of portand/or seal sections or change the location of one or more port and/orseal sections during implementation. The second means is the ability tochange the number of port and/or seal sections or change the location ofone or more port and/or seal sections anytime after implementation whenthe invention is installed in crystalline or consolidated materials. Thethird means is the ability to reduce the number of port and/or sealsections anytime after implementation. The fourth means is the abilityto retrofit the system after implementation with different equipmentand/or instrumentation, or remove the invention entirely.

1. A subsurface discrete interval system, whereby (a) at least one portor seal section provides an advantageous verifiably discrete andisolated interval through which a fluid, vapor, or multiphase substancecan be transferred, and through which media characteristics can beevaluated and monitored, and (b) the system is field modifiable andremovable providing the capability to change equipment andinstrumentation 10, or remove the system entirely, comprising; an outerstructure 01, except when the invention is implemented in crystalline orconsolidated material, or otherwise preferred, comprising naturallydeveloped or artificial fill materials, or utilizing pre-packedmaterials 05, in the annular space between the boring wall and thematerial comprising the inner casing, which may or may not be present,of the outer structure 01; an inner core 02 comprising a rigid materialwith a plurality of sealed access points 06, and at least one packer cup07 each comprising an obtrusion, fixed in place, extending from saidrigid core material 08 outward, consisting of rubber, or other formablematerial, reinforced with extruded or formed metal, or other tensionablematerial, to provide the sealing force; at least one port section 04,where the said outer structure 01 comprises a permeable materialadjacent to the perforated material comprising the inner casing, whichmay or may not be present, of the said outer structure 01 in a portsection 04, and the said inner core 02 comprises a rigid material 08;one or more sealed access points 06 comprising threaded, chemicallysealed, or compressed gasket ports through the said rigid inner corematerial 08; one or more attached screens or perforated materials; atleast one seal section 03, where the said outer section 01 comprises anon-permeable material adjacent to the non-permeable material comprisingthe inner casing, which may or may not be present, of the said outerstructure 01, and the said inner core 02 comprises a rigid material 08with one or more said sealed access points 06, and one or more saidattached screens;